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Kate Krader (@kkrader on Twitter) is Food & Wine's restaurant editor. When she tells us where to find our culinary heart's desire, we listen up.

No matter how much Superstorm Sandy footage you’ve seen - overwhelming amounts, no doubt - when you see it firsthand, it's worse. It’s too bad to be true.

At a time like this, it's awe-inspiring to see restaurants, both local and across the country, step up to help. Here's a by-no-means-comprehensive list of some outstanding efforts by restaurants. Now do your part: go out and eat and drink! It will help Hurricane Sandy victims and the people who are working so hard on the recovery efforts.Drink milkshakes for storm victims
Until November 11, Shake Shacks all across the country are selling specially created Rally Shakes (inspired by New York City’s iconic black and white cookie). For each shake sold, Shake Shack will donate $2 to the Red Cross.

Eat family-style at North - Providence, Rhode Island
Throughout November, North will donate $3 to the Red Cross for each large-format Feast meal ordered. The restaurant already has donated more than $500 from October’s Feast meals. On October 30, North tweeted: “We got real lucky, Providence, but our brothers and sisters south of us got roughed up real bad. I’d shut down the restaurant and volunteer...at a shelter but I don’t know how to get down there right now…. NYC/NJ and all down the coast, you are in our hearts and minds.”

Order wine in D.C.: Grillfish, Logan Tavern, Commissary, The Heights and The Pig - Washington, D.C.
For every bottle of wine sold during the entire month of November, these restaurants will donate $2 to the American Red Cross’s relief efforts in areas affected by Hurricane Sandy.

Drink bourbon in Chicago: CHICAGO q - Chicago, Illinois
This November, Chicago q will donate 5 percent of any and all bourbon sales to the American Red Cross Disaster Relief Fund. It’s worth it for the presentation alone. Each bourbon is served neat on a silver tray with a rocks glass containing a 1.25-inch ice cube and an eyedropper of distilled water on the side.

Eat with (and thank) a first responder in Maryland: Volt - Frederick, Maryland
He’s not in an impacted area, but chef Bryan Voltaggio has come up with a really terrific way to recognize the work of some of America’s finest. From November 5 to 11, his Maryland restaurant is offering 20 percent off the checks of first responders and their families.

Eat like a Williamsburg-er: Brooklyn, New York
Many North Brooklyn residents - diners and restaurateurs alike - came out of the hurricane unscathed. To pay forward their good fortune, participants like Maison Premiere and Marlow & Sons are pledging 10 to 20 percent of their gross sales on Thursday, November 8, to the Red Cross relief efforts. For a list of participants, or to donate, go to dineoutwilliamsburg.com.

Drink Gummy Bear Vodka
The distillery Cacao Prieto is located in Red Hook - an area of Brooklyn severely damaged by the storm. Their solution to the devastation: Grin and “bear” it. They’ve made 1,000 bottles of vibrant red, green and blue Gummy Bear-flavored vodka in bear-shaped bottles ($40). To order one, go to gummybearbooze.com/reserve/.

Outside NYC and want to help? CNN's Impact Your World has a great list of resources that could use your time and money. Thinking about coming to New York to eat? Follow the Twitter hashtag #dineoutNYC to see the latest charity efforts and open restaurants and don't forget to #EatDownTipUp.

soundoff(7 Responses)

grayfox5

Good point, DB, I'm sure very little (heck, probably even less after "administrative" costs) gets to the intended recipients. On the other hand, if the Red Cross and any of these food establishments feel that people won't contribute out of generosity, maybe they can get them to contribute out of selfishness, i.e. go ahead and feed your face and feel good about it at the same time, because you're "helping" disaster victims. Maybe they figure something is better than nothing.

November 8, 2012 at 10:44 am |

DB

I agree, something is better than nothing. But I hate the way we keep glorifying these "a portion of the proceeds..." programs.

November 8, 2012 at 10:50 am |

Kevin

Sure, I'll eat out. Give me gas first.

November 8, 2012 at 10:35 am |

DB

Depending on where you eat you might get it after...

November 8, 2012 at 10:38 am |

DB

This is rubbish. It's like those pink toasters they sell at Macy's where they say if you buy it "a portion of the proceeds will be donated to cancer research." So you spend $60 on a new toaster, a few pennies get donated to the research foundation, and you pat yourself on the back and act like you just donated $60. No you didn't, all you did was buy yourself a new toaster. If you want a new toaster, you should buy a new toaster. If you want to make a donation to the research foundation, you should make a donation. But don't pretend that buying yourself a new toaster is making a donation. It isn't.

These "eat out and we'll make a donation" programs are EXACTLY THE SAME. Spending $30 on YOURSELF at a restaurant is not making a donation to Sandy victims. After the restaurant pays for the wholesale cost of the food and pays the chef for cooking it and the waiter for serving it, how much is left over for relief? Not much. Skip the restaurant, and just donate the $30 to the Red Cross. If you don't want to donate the money and would rather just buy yourself dinner at a restaurant, you have that right. But don't pretend you're making a donation, because you're not. You're buying something for YOURSELF.

November 8, 2012 at 10:28 am |

heyehyehy

How can we get more places? Looks like the only places are in the NE and N. How about trying to get some chain brands to pitch in?